Page 18 - Hamizrachi #30 USA 2021 Yom Yerushalayim - Shavuot

GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Rabbi Avraham Shapira ל“צז

Receiving the Torah Anew

hag Matan Torah is the says, “Were it not for this day, how every day and at any time, but there is
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holiday of the Oral Law. many Yosefs would there be in the particular significance in repeating it in
Of the Torah Sages of marketplace?” In other words, thanks to the days leading up to Shavuot.
every generation. Matan Matan Torah, I am different from your These are the days in which the light
CTorah is renewed in every regular Yosef, and hence he instituted of Torah begins to appear, just as at Har
generation, and the day the Torah was special foods on Shavuot. But at first Sinai the light of the Torah began to
given in the past is a day infused with glance it is not clear why he says this. sparkle even before then, and therefore
the spiritual energies for the Torah to After all, if it wasn’t for this day, the we don’t say Tachanun on these days,
be given every year. Every year, there is entire world wouldn’t exist, not only Rav like the Rishonim say we don’t say
a return to what was, and just as Pesach Yosef. Rather we learn from here that Tachanun on Fridays at Mincha, because
is the time of freedom every year, so Rav Yosef is not referring to the Giving the light of Shabbat already begins to
Shavuot is the time ripe for receiving of the Torah to the entire world, but appear before Shabbat actually begins.
the Torah anew in every generation. to his private Kabbalat HaTorah, and The elevated reality of Chag and
When we celebrate Shavuot, we are hence we learn that everyone has their Shabbat begins before the holy days
not celebrating an historical event in own private Kabbalat HaTorah. themselves. Therefore, it is incumbent
the past but the essence of the day that upon us specifically during these days to
regenerates itself year after year. Accepting the yoke of Torah reinforce our Torah study and the way
The Yerushalmi says, “In all the The Yerushalmi cited above stresses that we prepare for Matan Torah.
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korbanot it is written אטח (sin) and “since you accepted upon yourselves the May we merit receiving the Torah
concerning Atzeret (Shavuot) it is yoke of Torah, I consider it as if you have together as a people, and each of us
not written אטח. HaKadosh Baruch never ever sinned.” It is not enough to individually, with awe and fear, love
Hu said to them, since you accepted receive Torah, but one must accept the and joy.
upon yourselves the yoke of Torah, I yoke of Torah. The effort, the challenge,
consider it as if you have never ever in Torah is the main aspect of the Torah.
sinned.” And the Korban HaEida A person can fulfil the mitzvah of
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explains that concerning all korbanot it Talmud Torah in the smallest amount of 1 Rosh Hashanah 4:8
is written, תאטחל דחא םיזיע ריעש םתישעו time, even with one word, but the crux 2 Rabbi David Frankel, 1704-1762
and concerning Atzeret it is not written of the Torah, the life of the Torah, is the 3 Shemot 24:7
תאטחל but just דחא םיזיע ריעש, and yoke of Torah. 4 Pesachim 68b
that’s because “every year on Atzeret is We learn all this as an introduction 5 Pirkei Avot 2:12
like the day we stood at Har Sinai and to Torah, as a preparation. The Torah’s 6 Shemot 19
received the Torah anew… and therefore command: “And make yourself fit to 7 According to the start of the chapter there: “In
there is no תאטח, no sin, on this day.” learn Torah,” is in itself a difficult, deep the third month to the Exodus of Bnei Yisrael from
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The regenerational reality of Kabbalat and complex instruction and one must the land of Egypt, they came to the Sinai Desert on
HaTorah every year is what allows a learn it profoundly just like any other this day.”
person’s sins to be atoned for every piece of Torah.
year anew. And every time we read the Before the description of Matan
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pasuk עמשנו השענ ’ה רבד רשא לכ, there is Torah, the Torah describes the people’s
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another, new acceptance of Torah. preparation across many verses, and Rabbi Avraham Shapira zt”l served as the
this section carries eternal lessons. The Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1983
For each of us preparation for Torah is Torah in itself, to 1993. He was also the Rosh Yeshiva of
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This annual Kabbalat HaTorah is for and it needs to be “on this day.” Merkaz HaRav in Jerusalem. He passed
each and every one of us. Rav Yosef There is a need to repeat the exercise away in 2007.

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